Notes from the National

[MattyC]

I enjoy looking at any card a collector is excited to own; I have learned tons and been put onto cards that became favorites that way. To dismiss what another collector likes is to limit one's own potential knowledge and darken one's own collecting horizons.

That's why I was always amazed at how, on the CU boards, some would inevitably hate and spew bile (cloaked envy) whenever guys shared their pickups or collections-- seeing others' cards and dialoguing about them at best turns us onto new cards we want, and at worst expands our knowledge or makes a new friend.

I do agree: it is very challenging, fun, and deeply rewardingto have to hunt down an affordable low-grade examplewith eye appeal, as compared to having bottomless pockets that make every grade a possibility. But then again-- with a mere ten 52T Mantles grading MT or better, even a billionaire will have a challenging time finding the one he wants and reeling it in. Especially since there are more super rich guys who want the card than there are cards out there.

Personally, I always face palm when I see a fellow collector pony up for a grade over eye appeal, but ultimately-- if when a guy's balls are being royally broken by life, wife, work, money, health, etc., if looking at his cards makes it all melt away for a while, if the cards take him to a place of pure enjoyment and unbroken balls, that's what it's all about.

I guess what I'm saying is:

Cards mending balls = awesome.
Card collectors acting like catty broads = lame.